Metal casting apparatus



July 17, 1934-. I w. H/PEIRCE METAL CASTING APPARATUS Fild Nov. 28. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EYS y 1934- w. H. PEIRCEj v I 1,966,596

METAL CASTING APPARATUS Filed iiov. 28, 19:50 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS July 17, 1934. w, H EI 1,966,596

METAL CASTING APPARATUS Fi'led Nov. 28,1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR M FM BY 6 q ATTORNEY;

July 17, 1934. w. H. PEIRCE METAL CASTING APPARATL JS Filed Nov 28, 1930 S Sh eetS-Sheet 4 July 17, 1934. w. H. PEIRCE v METAL CASTING APPARATLS Filed Nov. 28, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR wfi ea/log 4 2 I ATTORNEY$ Patented July 17, 1934 METAL CASTING APPARATUS William H. Peirce, Baltimore, Md., assignor to American Smelting and Refining Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 28, 1930, Serial No. 498,521-

10 Claims. (01. 22-2oo) The invention relates to casting methods and apparatus, and more particularly'to a method and machine for casting metal plates, as for instance, lead anodes.

- According to a preferred manner of practising the invention, the metal is poured into fiat horizontal moulds which are arranged upon a rotating turntable. The anodes are poured with the moulds in horizontal position, and, as the turntable slowly rotates; the metal freezes. After the metal has solidified, further rotation of-the tumtable causes the moulds to be tipped to a substantially vertical position. Provision is made to cause the cast anodes to loosen from the moulds whence.

they are lifted vertically from the moulds.

Suitable cooling devices are provided for conducting cooling water to the several moulds and for leading the heated water away. The machine is preferably arranged so that the moulds are 3 positioned almost directly over the supporting odes is taken directly by the rollers. Furthermore, suitable cams and other devices may be provided so that certain of the events above described may take place automatically. The invention also consists in certain new and original features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed ticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in whichit m y be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a partthereof, in which Fig. 1 represents a vertical section through the casting machine according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fi 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a part of venience, but they are intended to be as generic rollers so that the great weight of the lead anto be characteristic of this invention will be parin their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings. In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification a practical commercial embodiment of the invention is disclosed, but such illustration is primarily for purposes of disclosure and it will be understood that the structure and the method of performing the invention may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Referring now, to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the machine com- 7 prises a suitable circular track 10 resting upon a circular concrete foundation indicated by 110. Resting upon the track 10 are a plurality of tapered, flanged, large rollers 11 held in proper spaced position by holding devices indicated by 12 (Figs. 2 and 3). Resting upon the rollers ll is the turntable 14 which is in the form of a horizontal rotating wheel. It will be noted that the bearing surfaces of the track 10 and turntable .14 are conical to properly operate with the tapered rollers 11.

The turntable ring 14 is suitably webbed for strength and may be made in arcuate sections suitably bolted together. The turntable 14 is provided with a horizontal shelf 15 to the under side of which is secured a flange 16 to which a' bevel gear 17 is suitably bolted. g

For driving the turntable a pinion 24 (Fig. 3) engages the bevel gear 1'7, this pinion being mounted upon a shaft 26which is supported in l suitable bearings 25 and which is driven by a suitable motor or other source of power (not shown). Disposed around the periphery of the turntable '14 are a plurality of moulds 19, these moulds resting on the shelf 15 in one of their positions. Secured to the shelf 15 are a plurality of holders or stirrups 18, there being a pair for each mould 19, the moulds 19 having trunnions resting in the holders 18, as illustrated.

The moulds 19 are of such interior configuration as to produce the lead anode which is indicated in Fig. 8. This product comprises a substantially rectangular fiat body 20 having lugs 21 and 22, the lug 22 having a recess 23. It will be understood'that the shape of the lead anode is govemed by the electrolytic cell in which it is to be used.

Referring now to the individual moulds 19, each mould comprises a bottom wall or body 25 with side walls 28 and end walls 26 and 27, these walls being shaped to produce the anode illustrated in Fig. 8. The mould 19 has trunnions 29 and 30 secured thereto which rest in the holders 18 as above described.

Each mould 19 is further provided on its end Wall 26 with an angled foot 31 which prevents the anode from slipping out of the mould when tipped to vertical position, as explained hereinafter. Each mould is further provided with a cam finger 32 bolted at the end wall 26 for tipping the mould at the proper time, as explained hereinafter. Each mould is further provided with a holding member or rod 33 which extends from one side Wall 28 to the other above the mould space to prevent the cast anode from falling out of the mould when it is tipped to vertical position, as also explained hereinafter.

For forming the recess 23 in the anode shown in Fig. 8 and yet to allow the anode to be removable through the open face of the mould, a removable flange 35 is provided which is secured to a removable section 34, which is complementary to the main body of the mould, forming therewith a complete mould (Figs. 5, 6 and 7).

For holding removable section 34 in proper position and removing it at proper times, an operating bar 90 is pivoted both to the body of the mould at 36 and to the removable section at 37. This bar 90 is also pivoted at 42 to a rod 38 which slidably engages a pair of lugs 39 on the body of the mould. The rod 38 is provided with an abutment 40 between which and one of the lugs 39 a helical spring 41 is provided. The removable section 34 is provided with a lug 91 which also engages the rod 38. The bar 90 is provided with an angled end which carries a roller 43 which engages a cam bar 44 which is suitably bolted to the flat table 15 of the turntable.

It will be understood that each mould has the construction above described and that a separate cam bar 44 is provided for each mould.

For controlling the tipping of the moulds suitable cam tracks are provided, cam tracks 135 and 136 being indicated in Fig. 2, and cam tracks 135, 136 and 137, being indicated in Fig. 4. It will be understood that the cam fingers 32 on the several moulds engage these cam bars as the turntable rotates to tip the moulds as desired.

For cooling the moulds each mould body is provided with a plurality of transverse pipes 56 cast within the body 25 of the mould. These pipes 56 connect with end pipes 57 and 58. End pipe 58 connects with supply pipe 60 which passes through the trunnion 30, and end pipe 57 connects with exit pipe 59, which passes through the trunnion 29.

For supplying the moulds with cooling water a main supply pipe 45 is provided which ends in a stationary pedestal 46 which is located at the center of the turntable. A fitting 48 to which a plurality of supply pipes 49 are connected -s connected to the supply pipe 45 by a suitable water-tight swivel joint indicated by 47.

Each supply pipe 49 supplies a limited number of moulds, as for instance, four moulds. Each supply pipe 49 is connected to an arcuate pipe 50 to which the branch supply pipes 51 are connected, which connect with the supply pipes 60 in the moulds by suitable swivel joints indicated by 150.

For leading the water away from the moulds a plurality of separate pipes 52 are provided, one connected to each exit pipe 59 by a suitable swivel joint indicated by 151. Each exit pipe 52 communicates with an annular ditch or trough 53 which is concentric with the turntable.- Th9 trough 53 communicates with exit pipe 54 from which the hot water is taken, to be cooled and used over again if desired. Adjacent pipe 54 the ditch 53 is provided with a step 55, the depth of the ditch 53 gradually becoming greater from the top of the step around the entire circumference of the ditch and back to the step, as indicated.

In operation it will be understood that the turntable revolves in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 4, and that the position indicated is the pouring position where the moulds are poured and the position indicated is the removing position where the lead anodes are removed from the moulds. The operator stops the machine when the mould indicated by B is in the pouring position. This mould is in proper position for pouring, being horizontal, and the removable section 34 is in place. A suitable spout, indicated by 200 and connecting with the source of molten lead, is located at the pouring position. The operator allows a predetermined amount of molten lead to flow into the mould B until it is properly filled. He then shuts 01f the fiow of molten metal through the pipe 200 and starts the machine until the next mould, indicated by C, is at the pouring position. He then pours this mould in the same manner as mould B, and so on each succeeding mould.

In the meantime the moulds 19, as they move around on the turntable step by step, are being cooled and the castings therein solidify. By the time the moulds get around to the position indicated by the mould D, the cam finger 32 engages the cam track 135 which causes the mould to tip or rotate about its trunnions, raising it off the shelf 15. Further motion of the turntable causes the mould to be turned to the vertical position and by the time the mould gets to the removing position it has been tipped to a position beyond the vertical, such as indicated in Fig. 2. At this point the finger 32 engages the next cam rail 136 which prevents the mould from tipping over too far.

The jarring movement as the cam finger 32 moves from rail 135 to 136 causes the anode to loosen and fall out of the mould, this position being indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. The holding rod 33 and the angled toe 31 prevent the anode from falling entirely out of the mould.

While the mould is in the removing position, it will be noted that there is another mould exactly in the pouring position and the machine is stationary while the latter mould is being poured. This gives a second operator time to insert the hooks 95 of his air hoist, indicated by 96, under the lugs 21 and 22 of the anode so that it can be lifted vertically out of the mould and stored away in vertical position in a suitable place where it can be shipped to the electrolytic plant where it is to be used.

As the moulds 19 tip from a horizontal position about their trunnions, it will be noted that the rollers 43 roll along the cam bars 44 to remove the removable sections 34 removing the projections 35 from the recesses 23 in the anode lug 22. This, of course, is necessary to allow the anode to fall free of the mould to the position shown in Fig. 2.

After the anodes are removed from the moulds, further movement of the machine causes the cam finger 32 to ride along the cam rail 136 to bring the mould back to proper horizontal position.- AS the mould passes the vertical position L in its return movement, it then engages a third cam rail 137 (Fig. 4) which prevents the mould from falling down on the shelf 15 with a crash and possible resulting breakage of the mechanism. Instead, the cam rail 137 causes the moulds 19 to easily lower upon the shelf 15 of the tumtable. It willbe understood that the trunnions of the moulds are not in the exact center and that the portion of the mould having the recesses for the lugs 21 and 22 is heavier than the part of the mould on the other side of the trunnion axis. This causes the moulds to normally take the position lying flat on the shelf 15. It will be seen that by the time the mould reaches the pouring position the cam rail 137 has allowed it toonce more reach a horizontal position ready for pouring. I

From the above it will be seen that a method and apparatus for casting ingots such as anodes has been provided which has many advantages. In the first place, the process is practically automatic and may be made entirely automatic except for the pouring .and removing steps by providing automatic apparatus for intermittently stopping and starting the machine as each mould reaches a pouring position.

By the practice of this invention the moulds can be poured horizontally and yet removed vertically, thus preventing the bending of the comparatively thin, large area anodes which would occur, of course, if it were attempted to remove the anodes from the moulds while in horizontal position. Furthermore, the cooling arrangement is of such nature that the cooling effect may be controlled by adjusting the rate of flow of the cooling water through the main supply pipe 45. In addition, the provision of the moulds directly over the supporting rollers provides a machine of maximum strength with minimum amount of structural material. Furthermore, the machine above described will operate over long periods of time without giving any trouble and produce a product of excellence which is free from distortion due to bending.

Although the apparatus is particularly described in connection with'the casting of lead, it is obvious that the invention is applicable to thecasting of other metals such as zinc, copper, etc., and the alloys of such metals, as for example, brass.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out-in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of casting a relatively thin, substantially flat metal plate which comprises pouring the molten metal in a flat, horizontal, open top mould, moving the mould while in this position along a'predetermined path to allow the metal to solidify, then turning said mould to a substantially vertical position, removing the plate from the mould while keeping the plate in substantially vertical position, and then removing the plate vertically while in substantially vertical position to preventbending.

2. The method of making substantially flat metal plates which comprises pouring them in horizontal, open face moulds, turning the moulds to vertical position, moving the plates laterally out of the open face moulds and then moving the-plates vertically to prevent bending.

3. A mould comprising a flat, open face body,

a holding bar across the open face near one end of the mould and spaced from said open face, and a retaining lug at the other end of the mould, whereby said bar and lug keep the casting from falling clear of the mould when the mould is turned to vertical position.

4. In a casting machine, a support having a pair of spaced holders, a mould comprising a flat body open at a flat side face and having a flat base and upstanding sides forming a mould space with an open face, a trunnion on each side of said body resting in one of said holders, said body having an angled stop at one end and a holding bar extending from one side wall to the other outside the mould space, whereby, when the mould is in substantially vertical position said stop and bar prevent the casting from falling out of the mould. V

5. In a casting machine, a support having a pair of spaced holders, a mould comprising .a flat body open at a flat side face and having a fist base and upstanding sides forming a shallow mouldspace with an open face, cooling conduits within said flat base, a trunnion on each side of said body resting in one of said holders, inlet and outlet conduits passing-through said trunnions having a pair of spaced holders, a mould comprising a flat body open at a flat side face and having a flat base and upstanding sides forming a mould space with an open face, cooling cross pipes embedded in said flat base extending .across .the' mould, end pipes connecting said cross pipes, a trunnion on each side of said body resting in one of said holders, inlet and outlet pipes passing through said trumiions and connecting with said end pipes, said body having an angled stop at one end and a holding bar extending from one side wall to the other outside the mould space, and a removable mould section having a projection in said mould space.

7. In a casting machine, a mould having a mould space, said mould comprising a mould body and a removable section, said removable section having a member projecting into the mould space, means for removing said member from said mould space including a cam follower, a movable support for said mould, means for tiltably mounting said body on said support, a cam engageable with said cam follower and attached to said support, a cam member on said body, and a cam rail along the path of said support engaging said cam member for tipping said mould and causing said follower to ride on said cam bar and remove said section.

8. In a casting machine, a mould having a mould space, said mould "comprising a mould body, and a removable section, said removable section having a member projecting into the mould space, said body and section having spaced for tipping said mould and causing said roller to ride up said cam bar and remove said section.

9. In a casting machine, a circular track, rolling devices on said track, an annular turntable on'said rolling devices, a plurality of fiat, open 10. In a. casting machine, a mould having an.

open face mould space, said mould having a. member projecting into the mould space, means for tipping the mould to remove the casting, and means for removing said member to permit removal of the casting from the mould.

WILLIAM H. PEIRCE. 

